Original Medicare provides very limited coverage for vision care. Routine eye exams for eyeglasses or contact lenses are not covered, nor are the corrective lenses themselves.

However, Medicare Part B does cover some medically necessary vision services, including:

• Preventive or diagnostic eye exams for specific conditions
• Glaucoma tests for high-risk individuals
• Annual eye exams to test for diabetic retinopathy
• Eye tests for macular degeneration
• Cataract surgery and prescription lenses following the procedure